Change-gear mechanism for vehicles.



No. 891,8oo. Y PATENTED JUNE m2; ma.

r G. BNRIGO. CHANGE GEAR MBCHANISM PoR VEHGLES.

APPLICATION FILED 1330.110, 1908. BENEWED APE. 15, 190-8.

vshowing the locking mechanism for the A reference to improvements in the construcorder to reverse the direction ol rotation oi JIL.

RIOVANNI ENRICO, OF TURIN, ITALY, ASSIG FABBRGA ITALIANA.AUTOI\IOBILI DI TORINO, TU lil ITALY.

CHANGE-GEAR 'MECHANSt-r.'

Specification or" Letters Patent.

Patented fune 23, 1908;

Application filed December l0, 1906, Serial No. Bil'. Renewed April l5, 1998. Serial No. 27,213

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GIOVANNI ENR-rco, a subject of the King ol Italy, residing at Turin, italy, in the Province of Piedmont, Italy, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Change-Gear Mechanism for Iehicles, of which the following is full, clear, and exact specification,

This invention relates to change gear mechanism for vehicles, and has particular tion and arrangement of the change gear operating mechanism used in motor vehicles.

The invention more particularly has relierence to means whereby the movable gears are at all times latched in one or another of their diil'erent positions, independently of the aca tuating mechanism,- or of the slotted guide plate commonly used for determining the proper position oi the actuating means to secure the desired selection of gears. Another part of the invention comprises resilient latching means lor each actuatingl rod normally holding it and the gear operated thereby against movement, and releasable upon movement to shift the gear from one position to another.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction in which the parts shall he readily accessible without disarrange ment for inspection or repair, and which will permit the parts to he easily taken apart and assembled.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure i is a plan view of a vehicle embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section oi" the shifting rod casing;- Fig. 3 is a detail view,

shifting rods and a portion of' the casing., and Fig. l is a detail v1ew showing the opposite and of the casing. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the reversing gear.

1 represents the frame of the vehicle, 2 the Wheel, 3 the rear axle, driven by chain e from ja'ck shaft 5. The jack shaft, has a differential gear 6, brake 7, and is driven by an intermediate shaft 8, having bearings in a gear hex D, the upper half 11 of which is removable in order to permit access to the gears and the operating devices;

'is the engine shaft carrying the sliding gears la, 16, 18, 20, which mesh respec tively with lined gears 15, '17,v 19, 21 carried by shaft S, when properly manipulated. ln

shaft S, a wide intermediate idler gear 23 mounted on one arm of short pli-voted U- shaped lever 2li-is provided, which can he thrown up to mesh with gears 2O and 2l. For operating these on the forward speeds series rods '253, carrying forks 30, 31,.l'or moving gears 1.4, i6, 18, 20, are provided, and for opera-.ting the reverse gear a rod 29 is provided, these rods sliding through bushings in the ends of the casing and having yieldahle devices to hold rem in either ol two extreme positions (according to the speed'desired) and in a normal neutral position.- The rod 29, Acontrolling the reverse has only two Jositi'ons, one normal position when out ol' operation, and Jdie second and o )er-ating posi tion when the intermediate idler is thrown up te envar-'e with gears 2U and 21. .fn herein the formed by ris io conne ng the Oears 21 and 20 on shafts 8 and 10 respectively, by means of an inter- .n1-diete idler 'which idler is mounted in a pivoted Uhapcd lever 24, pivoted on the casing at GG. it will he understood that the idler 23 is parallel to shafts S and 10, and to throw the idler up into mesh with gears 21 and 20, one end ol'ihe isi-shaped lever 2Lihas a slotted portion 61 in which one end of a ,Jell cranl; lever i, pivoted on the casing at other end of the hell crank i which is engaged by a lug on rod 1 at whe... rod Z9 is actuated to th i' it in T 2, e lever Z4-C and he swung t fard until it r 2O and 21,'the idler being of suiiicient .vidth to connect these gears when so swung up.

In one end of the rod casing 34 is a bushing 35, having three holes through which the shifting rods pass, and in` this bushing, for each rod," are engaging devices consisting of oppositely disposed spring pressed balls 36 wl .ch engage notches in the 'rods when thrown to proper position. The halls are actuated hy small plungers 37, and springs 38, and screw nuts or plugs 39 control the tension of tr e springs.- The bushing is grooved as shown, so as to 1oe firmly held hetween the halves of the casing 34, and a pin` e0 a hole in the hr slung when the latter is t position. @n the opposite end ol" casing is a similar bushing l2 with the 'oove and pin, so that hv removcasing, the roos and interni'V the idler 'Bill i seloo be lifted out as a whole, and replaced without requiring any particular adjustments. In order to operate the rods, a lever 45 carried by a reciprocatory rock shaft 46 is provided which is moved transversely to engage the rounded end 47 with one or the other of arms 48, 49, 5t), carried by rods 27, 2S, 2t). To control the movements of the shaft 4G, a guide plate 52, having a longitudinal slot and five short transverse slots is used, and a handle 53 controlled by the driver nieves in the guide plate. Movement of the handle 5S longitudinally in the slot moves the end 47 of lever 45 into engagement with one or the other of arms 47, 4S, 49, and movement of the handle 53 into the short slots rocks shaft .40 and moves the corresponding sliding rod,

and the sliding' gear operated thereby to the desired speed arrangement.

It will be seen that each rod is thus independently latched in its several positions, and that this latcliing means is releasable upon movement of the selected rod in meshing and unnieshing its movable gear, without affecting the latching means of the other gears. Also the selected gear, is positively latched, as well as the others, independently of the slotted plate 52, or of the friction of the actuating connections, and this latch is operated by pivotal movement of the lever before the gear can be shifted. This is preferably accomplished by the movement of the rod itself.

The operation of the mechanism will be clear from the foregoing description, and further explanation is unnecessary.

By theforegoing construction a gear shifting mechanism is provided which is much more accessible and simple than the arrangements in common use.

A feature of especial advantage in this invention is the unitary construction of the shifting rods, bushings and locking devices, which permits these parts to be taken out bodily and to be replaced in exactly the same relation, and at the same time, any individual rod or latch can bc removed without disturbing the other parts of the nier'nhanism.

The invention is capable of modifications and changes in the particular mechanism shown and described herein, and is not to be restricted to this particular construction.

Having thus described my invention, l declare that what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

1. In a variable speed gear, the combination`with changeable gears, ol' operating rods for said gears, a bushing carrying said rods, and resilient means carried by said bushing and holding said rods in position, except When operated by said selective means, substantiall y as described.

2. ln a variable speed gear, the combination with changeable gears, of operating rods ing carried by said easing and having passages for said rods, and engaging devices carried by said bushing, substantially as described.

.3. ,in a variable speed gear, the combination with changeable gears, of operating rods therefor, a casing through which said rods move, and a single bearing block for said rods separably carried by said casing, substantially as described.

4. In a variable speed gear, the combination with changeable gears, and rods for moving said gears, a casing containing said rods, a bearing block at each end of the casing and carrying said rods, and a removable cover adapted to hold the blocks in position, substantially as described.

5. ln a variable speed gear, the combination with changeable gears and rods for moving said gears, of a casing containing said rods, a bearing block at each end of the casing and carryingsaid rods, said blocks being formed to register with the casing when in operative position, substantially as described.

(i. ln a variable speed gear, the combination with changeable gears and rods for operating said gears, of a casing containing said rods, a bearing block at cach end of the casing and carrying said rods, lmeans for detachably holding said blocks in said casing, means for operating the rods selectively, and detachable connections between said operatI ing means and said rods, substantially as described.

7. ln a variable speed gear, the combination with changeable gears and rods for operating said gears, of a separable casing centaining said rods, abearing block at each end of thc casing and carrying said rods, means whereby said blocks are rigidly held between the parts of said casing, means for o ierating the rods, and separable connections etvveen said rod operating means and the rods, and between the rods and the gears, substantially as described.

S, ln a speed changing mechanism, t'he combination with changeable gears and rods for operating said gears, selective means for operating said rods, a bearing block at each end of the casing and carrying said rods, means carried by said rods for moving said gears, and means carried by one of said blocks for engaging said rods in a plurality of positions, substantially as described.

t). ln a speed changing mechanism, the combination with changeable gears and rods for operating said gears, selective means for operating said rods, and means permitting removal of said rods independently of the gears and the rod operating means, substantially as described.

1l). The combination with a casing having :i removable cover, of bushings held between for said gears, a casing for said rods, a bushl said casing and cover, rods carried by said eei,soo 3 bushings, and ohangeebie lgearing within bushings in said casing and removable thereseid casing controlled by said rods, substantially es described.

1i. The combination with a Casin having e reinovabie cover, of bushings held etween seid easing and cover, rods carried by said bushings, @han 'eabie gearing within. said seeing Controlled by said rods, and selective means for actuating said rods, substantially v as described.

i2. The combination with a casing having e removable cover, of bushings held between said easing and cover, rods carried by said bushings, changeable gearing within said means for engaging said rods in a plurtdity of positions, substantially described.

1J. 'The combination. with a casing, of a driving and a driven shaft therein7 @harige speed gearing between said shafts, means comprising a plurality ol rods jouriialed in from with the bushings foi effecting speed changes, and selective means for operating said rods, substantially as described.

14. The combination with a easing, drivingvand a driven shaft therein, change speed gearing between said shafts, means comprising a plurality of rods journaled in bushings at opposite ends of said casing for effecting the speed changes, selective means ,l for operating said rods, and resilient engaging l ineens carried 1n one of said bushings for holding one of said rods, substantially deg scribed. casing controlled by said rods, and resilient g in testimony whereof I alfix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

GIOVANNI ENRICO. Vivitnesses:

C. HAUssMAN., J osErii lioiiyos, 

